


Clarke's Third In Reverse

by AceofCoins



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Adoption, But honestly she's a really minor character here so it's not really a problem, Gen, I wrote this before Captain Marvel was out, Magic, Magic is more than glowy circles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-12 00:05:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18434921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceofCoins/pseuds/AceofCoins
Summary: Tony Stark is stolen from his crib as a child by a mischievous fae, and is rescued and adopted by Thor and Loki Odinson.





	1. Of Changelings and the Responsibilities of Parenthood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wraven (nataeiy1)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nataeiy1/gifts).



The Stark estates were, to put it mildly, difficult to get into. As befit the USA’s most prolific weapons manufacturer, the security was top-notch. Armed Guards, security cameras linked to a tape recording system, and lots and lots of locks. Howard Stark believed that a man’s home was his castle, and not one of those ornamental palaces that some of the nobles over in Europe preferred-- a fortress. 

Even so, mortal security can’t catch everything. There are certain areas in which most humans are… limited. They cannot, for instance, detect an invisibility spell, or stop someone whose step is as light as a feather and who can turn into smoke to pass through a keyhole. So, in the morning of June 3rd, 1970, Maria Stark went to go retrieve her son from his crib, and was unaware that the baby she retrieved wasn’t related to her-- in fact, the child wasn’t even human. 

This young boy, who grew up as Anthony “Tony” Stark, was quite brilliant, and very good with his hands, and his strange allergy to iron was solved fairly simply by the means of a pair of gloves. And while his story could perhaps end up being interesting, this is not his story. 

This is the story of the infant that was stolen from a crib at 1:13 AM, June 3rd, 1970. 

This is also the story of the two men that found him. 

\-----------------

Despite his protests, Loki didn’t really begrudge his brother’s habit of going out for “adventures”. Certainly, his bragging when he got back to Asgard was irritating, but the opportunity to go out of Asgard and get into some trouble (and more importantly, get out of that trouble) was always good for some fun. It helped that unlike most of his fellow Asgardians, Thor had a healthy respect for Loki’s arcane talents, and always had praise for his brother’s cleverness and skill. It was nice to get some appreciation. 

That was why he still went along on these trips. Thor had heard of some monster or other skulking around Vanaheim, and wanted to slay it. Loki had, of course, been the one to retrieve a map so that they didn’t end up getting entirely lost. 

Even so, they didn’t have much of an idea where they were going. Luckily, through centuries of going off and getting lost, Thor and Loki both were fair hands at hunting and cooking. Thus, when they set up camp, they soon had a side of deer roasting over the fire, the rest packed away just in case they were out here for more than one night. 

They were almost done cooking when they both heard an infant cry in the night, only to be silenced moments later. 

“Brother, did you hear that?” Thor asked as he stood, eyes scanning the dark woods for any sign of life.

“I did. I don’t suppose your horrible monster mimics the cry of a babe to lure people to it?” Loki quipped. He stayed seated, though a knife materialized into his hand, hidden from view.

“Nay. It is supposed to roar so loudly that it can kill a lesser man.” Thor replied. “There must be a child in peril. Come, brother!”

Thor summoned his hammer to his hand and took off into the brush. Loki shrugged and stood, moving into the woods after his brother. More slowly, of course, but absolutely silently. 

So, he arrived to see Thor speaking to a slender man in a cloak, who clutched a fussing infant to his chest. Thor was apologizing for the misunderstanding. 

The man was fair in appearance, with blonde hair and pointed ears. “I should say so! You just burst into a clearing and tell me to unhand my own child? The nerve of some people.”

Loki paused. Something was off. He willed magic to his eyes and Saw more clearly, ignoring his brother’s continued apologies and excuses. Anyone who didn’t see something fishy in a cloaked man carrying a child through the forest at night was a fool. Loki was no fool, and he was also quite adept at seeing through illusions. 

He stepped from the underbrush. “Ah, your child, sir Fae? I was not aware that folks like yourself could give birth to humans.” 

The Fairy froze in sudden fear. The glamor he had been keeping up shattered (perhaps with a little bit of help from Loki), and the infant’s cries, previously suppressed, filled the clearing. 

Thor was suddenly bellowing. “You lie to ME? Thor, Prince of Asgard? Your thievery and deceit will not go unpunished! Defend yourself!” 

The cur tried to shield himself with the infant, but found that empty swaddling cloths made a poor shield against the might of Mjolnir. Loki carefully cradled the child in his arms. It was a rather cute specimen, a short crop of black hair covering its tiny head. He gently rocked the child, who was still wailing, though the intensity had dialed down. Loki though about it for a moment, then cast a light sleep charm on the child, causing him to calm and drop into a deep sleep. Much better.

Thor’s vengeance was over quickly. He turned to Loki. “Is the child alright?” He asked. Loki nodded. “But I think, perhaps, we may have to put your hunt on hold. We need to get him to safety.”

“Of course! It would not do to bring a babe on a monster hunt! We can resume later.” Thor paused. “Do you think the Bifrost would harm him? Because I know not the closest path back to Asgard otherwise.” 

“It would be several day’s journey on foot. No, the Bifrost will have to do. He’s already under my sleep spell, if I shield him he should be fine.” Anticipating Thor’s response to that, he encased the child in a bubble of green magic seconds before Thor called “HEIMDALL!” and the rainbow bridge enveloped them. 

\-----------------

The Bifrost room was empty save Heimdall, who was at his eternal post. The all-seeing god smirked at the pair. “I see you bring a passenger with you.” 

“I’m certain you were watching the whole affair.” Loki snarked right back. 

Thor bulldozed past the attempts at humor. “Heimdall, did you see where this babe was stolen from? He should be returned to his parents.” 

“I presume somewhere on Midgard, though unfortunately I know not where. Though I can see all, I do not see everything at once-- and if the theft was done under glamor, then I would not have noticed it. It is true that I can penetrate illusions, but only if I am aware of them. I am sorry.” 

“Then what are we to do with this child? I know not of how to care for one.” 

“I don’t have any experience either.” Loki admitted. He gave the matter some thought. “I think we are in need of some wisdom. Heimdall, where is our mother at this moment? She might know what to do, or at least know someone who can take care of the child.” 

Heimdall nodded. “The last I saw her, she was entering her and the Allfather’s quarters. I have not looked in on them, but I have not seen her leave.” 

Loki tried not to think of what that may imply, though Thor seemed to not give it any thought. Instead, he grabbed Loki around the waist and spun his hammer rapidly. 

“Then we shall be off!” Thor cried, as Loki clutched the green orb containing the infant to his chest and they flew together to Asgard’s palace. 

\-----------------

Despite Loki’s fears, it turned out that Odin and Frigga had been enjoying some reading time when Thor knocked on their door. Frigga was amused at her sons’ discovery, and smiled at Loki when she looked over the protective charms and sleep spell on the baby. 

“Well, this is certainly a predicament. But I think we can figure something out. Dear, could you Look upon this child? It could give us some valuable insight.” 

Odin nodded. “It should be a simple matter.” 

Loki watched attentively. Though his father was no great mage, certainly far worse at it than his wife, he had one gift he was particularly adept with-- future sight. Loki did not know what Odin had done to gain that power, but he could see glimpses of a person’s future by looking upon them. 

It took only a few seconds before Odin spoke, his voice solemn. “We cannot return this child to his home. Thus, we must ensure his care. Should he survive, he will grow to become a great craftsman, a clever man, who may one day change the tide of battle for the side of good.”

Thor gaped. “This child will become a craftsman that great?” 

Odin frowned. “If he is kept safe. With that in mind, we must be careful.”

He looked at Loki. “As the ones who found him, he will be your responsibility. You will have the aid of the palace maids, of course, and you can leave him with us for care when it is needed, but you two will take care of him. He will be declared Loki’s son by adoption.”

Loki was stunned. This was not the way he thought this would go. “... Why mine?” was the only question he could think to ask.

“If we wish to encourage him to be clever, you would be the better choice. I trust you to handle this, my son. Midgardians are fragile, compared to us Asgardians. You will need to be careful, but you will have help. Including from your brother.” Odin looked to Thor, who stammered his assent.

Frigga smiled. “I’ll have the maids retrieve some supplies, and I’ll show you what to do. I’m sure you’ll do fine.” She looked to her husband. “Did you see his name, dear?” 

“His name is Anthony. Not an Asgardian name, but he is not an Asgardian, and it would be good to have him keep something of his home realm.” 

That was how Loki Odinson became a father to a child named Anthony. Not the usual outcome of his and Thor’s adventures, but in time he would come to appreciate it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! I've been forgetting to post this for about 4 months now! This was a secret santa fic for Wraven (who did see this around Christmas), but I always meant to post it and then never actually did. Now I've remembered to do that, so yaaaay! I hope y'all enjoy it.


	2. On Growing Up and Hard Conversations

But of course, before we can get to the fun part, we should at least dedicate some time to the raising of young Anthony Lokison. At the start, Loki was about as bewildered as Thor often was, though he endeavored to not show it. His mother pretended she didn’t notice, and walked him through what he needed to know. A substitute for a mother’s milk would be necessary, but such a formula was common enough in Asgard, and it was a simple matter for Loki to procure it and make it for the babe. Changing diapers was another matter. Thankfully, Frigga was not a woman to labor at a job that could so easily be solved by means of magic. She was also a very generous woman. Many Asgardian parents gave silent thanks to their queen for the self-cleaning diapers she had invented and popularized. Loki was a significantly less silent in his thanks. 

So it went, as Anthony grew. Loki learned from his mother and from the maids of the palace, while Thor mostly occasionally showed up to spoil his nephew. He also initially laughed at Loki for doing a nursemaid's work, but that only lasted until he was cursed into muteness for a day and had to mime an apology at his brother to get the curse removed. 

There were still some difficulties, of course. Young Anthony could not be allowed to roughhouse with the youths of Asgard, due to his frailty of body. This meant that the vast majority of his entertainment had to take place within the home. It was a relief for Loki when at 5 years old, he was finally old enough to start learning the basics of magic. 

It seemed that what Anthony lacked in strength, he made up for in a clever mind and a brilliant imagination. Loki had thought that would make him a brilliant illusionist, but though Anthony was good at illusion, where he excelled was conjuration. The boy was obsessed with how things were made, how they ran, and it showed when Loki caught him creating a floating hand to retrieve sweets from the top shelf when the boy thought Loki wasn’t looking. He intervened, of course, but Loki let him keep a few. No one would say that Loki Odinson was going to discourage clever thinking. He would just have to start warding the jar-- and perhaps that could be an education in itself. 

Magic improved Anthony’s life quite a bit. Finally, he had something to do that would allow him to use his surprisingly sharp mind. On top of that, some warding spells allowed him to finally spend time with children his age, though it was mostly kept to Volstagg’s gigantic family. The largest of the Warriors Three soon became like an uncle to the young human. Loki found himself seeing another side of the giant man-- he was commonly laughed at as the weakest of the Warriors Three, but he was an excellent father. 

Things went much the same as this for three years-- Anthony spent most his time learning or practicing magic from Loki, or taking part in other lessons as was necessary for a youth of Asgard. The next big change came a few days after Anthony had turned eight, and it was an important change indeed. 

The day started as a fairly normal one, though not as far as Anthony was concerned. He had been plotting something ever since his birthday, when his uncle Thor had told a story of how Anthony’s father had once tricked a dragon into tying its head into a knot. Anthony had of course seen his father’s penchant for mischief before, but something about the way Thor had told the story had inspired something in him. 

He was going to trick the man known as the god of trickery. He had been secretly studying up on some transmutation magic in his spare time, and he was going to put it to good use. 

He had waited until Loki went out to visit the market for food, and hurriedly scribed a rune into the floor underneath the bookshelf nearest the door. He placed the bait-- a text on auditory illusions-- on the middle shelf. Then, he returned to the table where his studies usually took place and continued reading the more advanced conjuration tome he had gotten for his birthday. 

It was difficult to not check on the rune, but Anthony had already activated it, and to check on the rune would be to fall into the trap. And what kind of trickster fell for his own tricks? 

Finally, Loki returned. He carried with him several cloth bags full of groceries. Though it was true many of his meals were provided by the staff at the palace, Loki enjoyed a certain amount of self-sufficiency, and had taken to cooking for himself and his charge most nights, so that they could spend more time feeding Anthony’s ravenous appetite for magical knowledge. 

Anthony tried to force a nonchalant tone as Loki put down the bags on the kitchen counter. “Dad, could you pass me that book on Auditory Illusions from the shelf there? I wanted to take a look at one of the spells and see if I could incorporate it with one in this book.”

Loki looked to his charge, and back to the shelf. He smiled. “Of course. I’ll have it for you in a moment.” Anthony’s heart soared. This was going to work!

Then Loki proceeded to telekinetically lift the book over to his son. Anthony couldn’t quite hide his pout. Loki laughed. 

“What did I do wrong?” Anthony asked. 

“You may have fooled someone else, but I’m afraid I’m not so easy to trick. I know you could have and would have gotten the book yourself if you had actually wanted it, and just would have used magic to do it if you didn’t want to get up.” 

Anthony’s frown grew. 

“Also, although you really wouldn’t have known this, I have a very developed sense for magic. I could feel the rune before I stepped through the door, especially since I’m very familiar with the magics laid on my own home. I was actually going to wait more before I began teaching you about that, but if you’ve gotten so good that you have time to lay traps for me I suppose we could get started early.” 

Anthony’s mood immediately rose. “Really? You mean it?” 

Loki nodded. “I mean it. It was getting close to time to start on it anyways.” Loki stopped, then turned to face the door, and got a wicked smile on his face. “Hold that thought.” he said, and stepped quickly to peek over Anthony’s shoulder. “Play along.” He whispered in his son’s ear. Anthony turned his attention to his book. 

It burst open as Thor entered the room, already shouting. “Brother! Father wishes to speak with you!” 

Loki looked up, feigning surprise. “Oh, truly? Well, I’d best go see him. But first, brother, could you do me a favor and retrieve the large encyclopedia from the shelf there?”

Thor didn’t even pause. He took three huge steps to the shelf, and immediately the rune flashed briefly. The ground, once solid, rippled, and Thor sunk into it up to his biceps. 

Loki immediately broke down laughing. Anthony joined in, and a few moments later Thor’s booming laugh joined the duo’s. 

When all three had settled down, Thor spoke up. “Ah, another one of your tricks, Loki? I must admit, I like this one better than the one with the snake.” He was still stuck in the floor, but appeared to not be too troubled by this fact. 

“Not mine, actually. Anthony’s. I believed he’s been quite inspired by all the stories you’ve told him.” Loki smirked, then turned his attention to his son, who was still trying to control his laughter. “Is there a way to get him out without ruining my floors.”

Anthony’s laughter died quickly after that. “Well… uh… no, not really. I thought I was going to get you, and you’d be able to get out without much trouble.” 

Thor spoke up. “I could as well! In fact, give me a moment.” He said, and began to visibly strain.

“No, no. I’d hate to have to fix the floor. Give me a moment.” Loki interjected, and stepped over to his buried brother and the rune. He retrieved a knife from some hidden location and added a few strokes to the rune. “Right, you can climb out now.”

Thor found his arms able to move again, and reached out, feeling for a solid edge to grab on to. Soon, he pulled himself out of the floor, which turned solid once more as the rune glowed and vanished.

“Right, yes. That was quite entertaining, but I believe you said something about father?” Loki asked. 

“Ah, yes! Father wished to speak to you about something. He also gave me the name of a sm-- I mean, a person who can give young Anthony his last birthday gift.” 

“Another gift?” Anthony asked, suddenly excited. 

“Yes, we had something planned, though it didn’t come through before the party. I suppose you’ll take Anthony to be introduced while I speak to father?” 

“Yes, that was his plan. I’m told the man’s name is Orvar.” 

Anthony wondered what kind of gift this could be, but his theorizing was cut off by a grip on his shoulder. His father smiled down at him. “Well, go off with your Uncle then. Try to make sure he doesn’t get lost, Allfather knows he needs the help.” 

Thor protested, but Loki was soon out the door, and so were Anthony and Thor. 

\-----------------

It took the both of them only ten minutes to reach the Artisan’s district, where Anthony’s gift apparently lie in wait. They approached a building, with a plain iron sign that said “Orvar’s Smithy” on it in white paint. The shop inside was humble too-- no great, gigantic forges like some of the ones that produced Asgard’s great ships and armed its guard. This one was small, quaint.

The man who was greeted them was almost bigger than Thor, huge in his thick leather clothing and apron. His face was mostly obscured by a bushy black beard, though two blue eyes were visible from above the unruly mass of hair. 

“So this is the boy? He’s a bit slight, but if what your father said about his brain is true he’ll do fine.” 

“Anthony, this is Orvar Ironheart. He’s one of the best blacksmiths in Asgard, and he’s agreed to take you on as an apprentice.” Thor explained. 

Anthony was shocked. “Really?” 

“Yes! Though you may be human, and thus won’t have the strength to work some of the metals we prefer here in Asgard, I’m told you’re quite the little magic prodigy?” 

Anthony nodded. He had a healthy respect for his skills. Orvar continued upon seeing this. “That’s what’s going to even the playing field for you. You should be able to use magic to smith even better than most Asgardians. I know I don’t know a bit about the stuff, so you’ll be a great help around here even without that.” 

Orvar placed a surprisingly gentle hand on Anthony’s shoulder. “Your father and grandfather say they see a creative spark in you. My job is to be the bellows for that spark. Hopefully, within a few years, you’ll be smithing your own enchanted gear!” 

Anthony’s face broke into a grin. “When can I start?”

\-----------------

Odin was the only one in his chambers. This, in itself, was not unusual-- Frigga was not the kind of queen to sit about waiting on her husband, and she had plenty of projects that she busied herself with. However, Loki could feel the tension in the room. Whatever this was, it was important. 

“My son. Please, sit down.”

Loki did so, taking a seat opposite Odin at the round table his father prefered to use for more private meetings. Odin clasped his hands together and was silent for a moment. His one eye met Loki’s two. 

“My son… there is something I must tell you. Something I should have told you long ago, but I believed that… well, no matter now. The time for excuses has passed.”

Odin took a deep breath, then soldiered on. “My Son, you are adopted.”

Loki thought about saying something, saying that didn’t matter to him, but fear blocked his throat, because Odin was continuing.

“You are also… not Asgardian.” 

Odin put his head in his hands, as Loki stared at him in shocked silence. “In the aftermath of our war with the Frost Giants, when I entered their temple to claim the Casket of Ancient Winters, I found something-- someone else. An infant, crying, small for a Frost Giant. I still don’t know if he was abandoned there to die or if his parents had been slain.”

Odin paused, and this time Loki managed to gather the courage and interject. “I… I take it this infant is me?” 

Odin nodded, slowly. Loki pushed back from his seat and stood. He began to pace, running his hands through his hair. Odin made to speak, but Loki shouted over him. 

“Why didn’t you tell me!?” he cried, second guessing hundreds of past interactions as they flashed through his head. Who else knew? Obviously, Odin and Frigga, but did Thor? Did others in Asgard?

Odin flinched. Odin actually flinched, and had to take a breath and place his hands on the table to steady himself. “Initially, I had hoped to have you… no, I had hoped to use you to forge peace between us and the Frost Giants.”

Loki laughed, madly. “Of course. And I assume this is why you placed Anthony with me! Let the two misfits live together, where they don’t have to bother the rest of us proper Asgardians!” 

Odin’s gaze turned steely, and he stood as well. “While I admit my motives were not as kind as they should have been, they have changed. You are my son, Loki, even if I did not contribute to your birth, and I would never discount your abilities, or consider them lesser. I chose you to look after Anthony because you are more responsible by far than your brother, and because when I Looked into the boy’s fate I saw a clever craftsman, more clever than the greatest of Asgard. I knew that if any of us could encourage that you could.” 

Loki’s frantic pacing stilled as Odin spoke. He stared at his father as he gave his impassioned speech. Finally, after Odin wound down, he spoke, his voice quieter now. “I… did you Look at my fate, as well?” 

Odin took another deep breath, and looked his son in the eyes. “I Saw a brilliant man, a mage with few equals. I saw a man that would one day save Asgard.” 

Odin took a seat, and Loki noticed how slowly his father moved. For once, he moved like the old man he appeared to be. 

“I took you for the wrong reasons, my son. I must admit that. I have made many poor decisions in the past, and every day I try to atone for them. But do not doubt that I love you, Loki, just as much as I love my own flesh and blood. I am incredibly proud of what you have become. One day, I will be gone, and you and Thor will lead Asgard. I know you will do our kingdom proud.” 

Loki’s eyes never left his father as he thought this over. Eventually, after a minute of silent deliberation, he replied. “I… I can’t say I’m happy about this revelation. I wish you had told me before. I need time to think on this.”

He turned to leave. Odin did not stop him. As he opened the door he looked back at his father, so diminished from this meeting. “Thank you, though. For everything you’ve said today.” he finished, and closed the door behind him as he went out into the world he still considered home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conversation between Loki and Odin was one of the big things I wanted from this fic. I really want to like Odin, though the first two movies make it difficult. So here I gave him a kick in the pants to actually talk to his son about his heritage. Maybe eventually he'll also tell his kids that they have an older sister, but that's outside the realm of this fic.


	3. On Heroes of Earth, Asgard, and In Between

Things advanced quickly, as they are wont to do, even in a realm of immortals. Anthony learned the forge, and learned the ways of magic, and grew into a young man. Even so, thirteen years after Anthony had apprenticed to him, Orvar’s forge looked much the same. Though the old Asgardian had seen an increase in business with Anthony’s enchanting skills backing him, he had seen no need to pretty up the place, and his equipment was already top-notch. 

Anthony had graduated from his apprenticeship, but he still worked with Orvar, and the two shared the forge. Anthony was at it most days, at least for a few hours, and often someone had to come and retrieve Anthony before he worked through the night. 

One day, Orvar arrived to find Anthony already there, dressed in the stained blacksmith’s uniform he kept in the smithy to avoid ruining the fine clothes he usually preferred. He was working several feet back from the anvil, using magic to conjure a hand and a hammer to move and strike the hot iron with force far greater than he could with his bare hands. Orvar took a moment to observe the pieces that had already been completed. They were pieces of armor, a full plate if he wasn’t mistaken, exquisitely crafted from an alloy of metals he knew to be incredibly strong and surprisingly light, though difficult to work. 

“Boy, I think you might have actually surpassed me when it comes to armor. This another commission?” 

“No, it’s a personal project. A kind of proof of concept.” Anthony used the conjured hand to dip the hot metal into the water trough, releasing a cloud of steam. He set the metal aside to cool further, and let his magical constructs fade as he stepped towards a table that Orvar had set aside for his runecarving.

“Here, I’ve got one of the finished pieces.” he said as he retrieved said piece and passed it to his once teacher. 

It was a gauntlet, sleek in design, with tiny carved runes running across its surface. Orvar turned it over to find a number of lines of runes ran to a circle of runes in the center of the palm. Orvar couldn’t make out what they did for the life of him-- even after working with Anthony for so many years, he couldn’t understand the workings of magic for the life of him. 

“What does it do? This is far more runework than you usually put in.”

“Well, quite a few things. But you’ll see soon, when it’s done. Assuming it works properly.” Anthony replied. 

\-----------------

And Orvar did see, along with quite a few other people. For Anthony Lokison was one of the royal family, one of the greatest mages and blacksmiths in the realm, and also known to be human, and thus a curiosity. So, when he challenged his uncle Thor to a friendly spar, there was a sizeable audience gathered at the Royal Guard training ground when the two met.

“Are you sure you want to do this, nephew?” Thor asked, for what felt like the hundredth time. He had still not retrieved his hammer.

Anthony had no visible weapons or armor, though as a mage he didn’t really need them. He was wearing a new accessory, however, a red and gold belt with a curious buckle that resembled a stylized helm, and stood out against the fine clothing Anthony was otherwise wearing. He frowned as he replied. “I was sure when I asked you, uncle! Why, are you scared to face me?” 

Thor’s face soured, and he moved closer and spoke more quietly so that the crowd could not hear. “Please, nephew. Stop this foolishness. You are a powerful mage, but you are still fragile, and I do not want you to get hurt as you try to prove yourself--” 

“I’m serious, uncle. Stop. I’m set on doing this.” Anthony replied, just as serious. 

Thor glared at his nephew and stepped back. He still did not summon Mjolnir, but dropped into an unarmed fighting stance. 

Anthony smiled as the call to start rang, and ran towards his uncle, who seemed unafraid at the advance of his much smaller and less strong opponent. 

His eyes widened, however, as Anthony channeled his magic through his belt and summoned his newest weapon, and armor appeared around Anthony from its storage space within the belt. It was gray, with lines of red and gold magic running through it in veins. Anthony stopped running and channeled magic through the boots, and jets of arcane power roared as Anthony tackled his uncle, suddenly much faster and heavier than he had been just moments before. 

The fight became more serious then. The crowd watched in awe as Anthony Lokison flew through the air in a suit of armor that glowed with magic runes, doding Thor’s attacks and blasting him with rays of arcane energy. Eventually, he graduated to summoning conjured hammers to strike at Thor, and using a variety of other spells, and Thor found himself quickly forced to use Mjolnir to defend against the onslaught.

Thor marveled at the surprise that was his nephew’s fighting prowess as he shattered another conjured hammer and flew at Anthony, only to be blinded by a blast of energy to the face and then hit in the stomach by something that felt like a giant fist made of steel. This was surprising, but clearly it was time to stop holding back. 

The crowd gasped as lightning came from the sky and struck Anthony. They were even more surprised when he was fine. 

“Thanks for the boost, uncle!” he shouted, and his palms glowed as he channeled the energy of the lightning, converted into magic by a complicated array of runes, into a beam of pure power. 

Thor saw this coming, and met it with his hammer. There was a moment where they were evenly matched. 

Then Thor took a step forward. Then another, and another, as the beam lost its strength. After a few seconds, it cut off, and Thor ran at Anthony and struck him to the ground. 

Then he dropped his hammer on the young man, taking care to ensure only the handle pinned him to the ground. 

“Do you yield?” Thor asked. 

“Fuck! Yes, I yield.” Anthony said, and with another pulse of magic returned the armor to its storage place as Thor retrieved his hammer and walked away without another word. 

\-----------------

You see, though one might think otherwise, not much had happened within this world to shake the foundations of Thor’s arrogance. Yes, he had a nephew, and perhaps had more appreciation of magic and trickery than before, but he was still absolutely certain of his might and right to rule. So, though Anthony joined Thor, Loki, and the Warriors Three on various adventures throughout the next 20 years of his life, Thor remained his arrogant self. And in the year known as 2011 on Earth, when Frost Giants snuck into Asgard and tried to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters, Thor acted much as he would in the timeline we know. 

Because of this, he was banished, and met Jane Foster and her team, and faced a grave threat, and was once again declared worthy for doing so. But in this case, no one from Asgard had intervened in his punishment. Things there went rather differently, and when Thor returned on the Bifrost he found Loki, Anthony, the Warriors Three, and Heimdall waiting for him.

The first thing he did was embrace both Loki and Anthony. “I am so sorry, for what I have done and how I have acted. I have behaved in a manner unfit my station, and I fear that I have harmed the both of you.” The pair returned the hug, and after a few tender seconds they broke apart and Thor addressed the rest of the watchers. “I have harmed all of you. And all of Asgard, in my arrogance. I see that now.” 

“Well, it’s good you finally noticed.” Loki remarked dryly. 

“What has happened since I left?” Thor asked.

“What, no stories of mighty deeds for us?” Sif asked. 

“I have stories, but they are for later. When I left Asgard, I had brought war to it. I want to know what has happened.” 

“It’s done. Taken care of. Pretty deftly, actually.” Anthony replied. 

Loki smirked. “Our father went into the Odinsleep, and the Frost Giants sensed weakness. Laufey accepted a meeting with me, believing he could get me to capitulate with our great leader incapacitated. I proved to him why he was wrong. “

“It was an excellent feat of trickery! Loki cast an illusion on the room and lured Laufey into a cage!” Fandral exclaimed.

“Built by yours truly.” Anthony cut in. 

“He then informed the Frost Giants that he would ransom them their leader. They made an attempt on rescuing him, but us Warriors Three fought them off!” Fandral finished, gesticulating towards his fellow Warriors and Sif. 

“That is good news.” Thor replied.

“That we cleaned up your mess?” Loki asked slyly.

“That Asgard is safe.” Thor replied, and Loki smiled. 

“It’s good to see your priorities are in place, brother.” Loki stated, sincerely for once. 

“But what was your time on Midgard like? We did not have time to look in on you with the business with the Frost Giants.” Volstagg asked.

Heimdall cleared his throat, and Volstagg amended “Well, most of us.” 

“Well, perhaps this is a story best told over food. And I would like to hear more of your efforts against the Frost Giants-- I am sure there is more to the story than what you have told me!” 

And so, the group moved to the Royal dining hall, and the stories came out. Thor had been stranded in Midgard, in a place the mortals called New Mexico. There he met Dr. Jane Foster, and ended up bonding with her and her allies. He tried, and failed, to retrieve his hammer, and resigned himself to a life of unworthiness. That was until Ulik arrived. The Warriors Three and Loki remembered Ulik-- a rock troll Thor had almost slain once before during the time that Asgardians roamed Midgard. Ulik had smelled Thor, and could tell that he was weakened, and so came to destroy his hated foe. Thor had tried to fight him, and failed, but regained his worthiness when he got back up once more to protect the town as Ulik rampaged. With his hammer, he was able to defeat the troll, and said goodbye to Jane before he returned.

More stories were traded, and bonds strengthened as Thor continued along his new path of… well, not quite humility, but self-consciousness. Over the next few months, he often visited Midgard to be with “his Jane”, while the others continued their lives. The next bit of real excitement came the next year, in Midgard’s year of 2012, in the month of May. 

Heimdall sent a message to Odin, who gathered his sons and grandson. Heimdall had seen evidence of Thanos’s forces moving on Earth. In another time, he had seen them sooner, because he had been on the lookout for Loki. Now, however, he had missed the Chitauri shapeshifter that was Thanos’s agent, even though he made use of two of the Infinity Stones, for a few crucial days. 

Thor, Anthony, and Loki were to go down to Midgard and help its defenders. The Warriors Three were to help muster the armies in case of the worst possible outcome-- that Thanos’s armies spread across Midgard in force. 

It was April 4th, in the year 2012, when they made their entrance. 

\-----------------

The Bifrost hit the earth within sight of a cluster of people in costumes. They had been discussing something or other, but the moment the roaring rainbow pillar of light touched the earth they spun to face it, weapons ready (if they had them). There was a pair of humans in black, a woman with red hair brandishing a pistol and a man with dirty blonde hair wielding a bow. Behind them a slim armored figure in red, gold, and black rose into the air, blue light glowing from its hands. Another figure floated off the ground, though she was closer, a woman with long blonde hair and a red and blue suit that had a golden starburst on its chest. Golden power flowed throughout her entire body. At the front, a man in a red, white, and blue suit wore a similarly colored shield on one hand. 

No one paid much heed to the small man in plainclothes that hid behind the two agents, which is how he honestly preferred things for the moment. 

“Hail, Midgardians!” Thor shouted as the Bifrost cut off. He stepped towards the grouped heroes, but the various weapons were pointed in his direction and readied. 

“Hold, brother! Try actually explaining yourself before you blunder into things.” Loki called.

“What do you want?” the red, white, and blue man at the lead asked. 

“We come to aid Midgard!” Thor called. 

The man turned back to his allies. “What does that mean?” he asked. 

“It means he’s a friendly.” The man with the bow replied, as he returned his arrow to his quiver. “Welcome back.” He addressed Thor. “We tried to leave a message for you with your doctor friend but I assume you didn’t get it.” The heroes surrounding him relaxed, though some more slowly than others. 

“No, I have been busy in Asgard. We noticed Thanos’s armies moving on Midgard, and came to help. It is good to see you have already mounted a defense.” 

“We were working on it. Who are you guys, anyways?” Asked the armored figure, in an obviously feminine voice. 

“I am Thor Odinson! And this is my brother, Loki Odinson!” Thor shouted, putting his arm around Loki’s shoulders, much to his brother’s discomfort. 

“I’m Anthony. Lokison, before you ask.” Replied Anthony, who was already in his armor. He was eyeing the other armored hero with interest. 

“I’m Ironheart. Interesting armor. Does it do anything, or is the glow just for show?” Ironheart asked. 

“It does plenty. I’m sure you’ll get an opportunity to see what in a bit. If you can keep up, that is.”   
Anthony replied. 

“Hold off on the competition, you two. Not the time.” The man with the shield said. He turned to Thor. “I’m Captain America. We’ll need to exchange intel. Anything you can tell us about the enemy’s or your own capabilities would be helpful.” 

“Of course, noble Captain!” Thor stated, and joined the gathering. 

“Of course. We do not know much of the current capabilities of the Chitauri-- we have not fought them in some time. I can tell you that my brother and son can both fly, and both can be very destructive, though Anthony is the better flier. My brother is strong and incredibly durable, and can command storms. I and Anthony are both mages of some skill--” 

He was interrupted as a Chitauri Leviathan rounded a corner. Weapons and powers were readied once more. 

“Banner, it might be time for you to get angry!” the captain cried to the man in plainclothes. 

“No problem. I’m always angry.” He stepped forward, and as he moved he shifted fluidly, growing taller, more muscular, and green. He finished with a roar and a leap that drove the Leviathan to the ground before the group, its rear being carried over its head to fall towards the group of heroes. Several of them responded. The woman in blue let loose with a blast of golden energy that impacted the tail, slowing its fall. Then, the two armored figures unloaded-- Ironheart with a barrage of missiles and Anthony with a volley of conjured blades, which together ripped apart the body and prevented any impact. 

“Okay, I’ll admit, you’ve got a little something. Not sure if it can match up, but it’s something.” Ironheart said. 

“Not bad yourself.” Anthony replied. 

“Right, listen up! Anthony, Ironheart, Captain Marvel, I want you in the air. Take down as many fliers as you can. Thor, block up that portal, whatever it takes. Hawkeye, get up high, shoot down as many of them as you can.” 

“I’ll need a lift.” Hawkeye said. 

“I can provide.” Ironheart said. “Clench.” 

Hawkeye clenched up and was grabbed by Ironheart, who flew him away. Captain Marvel and Anthony each took off, as did Thor after a moment swinging his hammer in a circle.

Captain America continued. “Widow, Loki, you’re with me. We’ll take to the streets and save as many people as we can.”

Loki nodded. “Miss Widow, am I correct in assuming you prefer stealth? I can cast an invisibility spell upon you, it may aid you.” 

Black Widow nodded. “Maybe later. For now, we want the aliens focused on us. I’ll tell you if I need it.” 

Loki returned a nod as Captain America turned to the lone un-commanded hero.

“Hulk?” He stopped as the Hulk turned to him, grunting. “Smash.” 

The Hulk gave a powerful roar and leapt into the sky to do as he was told. Not that he had other plans to begin with. 

Earth’s (And Asgard’s) Mightiest Heroes took to the fight. 

\-----------------

The skies were chaos. Chitauri Air-Chariots clashing with the heroes. Captain Marvel had engaged her opponents alone, but Ironheart and Anthony had teamed up to deal with their opponents. 

Ironheart soon proved to be faster than Anthony, but Anthony’s magic was more adaptable. Either way, both were making a huge impact in the enemy forces. 

“We’ve got some creeps tailing us!” Ironheart cried to Anthony over the communication spell he had forged between them. 

“I have an idea. You take the lead, but slow down a bit, let them catch up. I’ll need to focus, so I’ll need you to clear the ones ahead.” 

“Got it!” Ironheart affirmed, putting on the brakes slightly as she gradually slowed down. Whenever she spotted an enemy in front, she snapped a hand in front of her and blasted it with a repulsor. That is, when they weren’t felled by an arrow from Hawkeye or impacted a raging Hulk. 

It only took about half a minute for the chariots to catch up, joined by a few of their fellows. Anthony smiled within his helmet, turned, and shouted a rapid incantation as his gloves glowed with magic. 

The red-and-gold wall that suddenly filled the space between the heroes and the chitauri was rather surprising for the chariot drivers, who didn’t have much time to think of anything at all before they hit the wall and exploded. 

“Alright, nice trick. Wanna see if we can use it on a few more?” Ironheart called to Anthony. 

“No need for a repeat performance. I’ve got plenty more tricks to play.” He replied. 

\-----------------

Thor was forced to retreat after several minutes holding the line, and found himself on top of a Leviathan alongside Hulk. 

“You are a mighty warrior, my friend!” He shouted at the giant green monstrosity. 

“HULK SMASH!” Was his reply. 

“Would you be interested in a competition? The one that slays the most Chitauri wins!” 

“HULK SMASH MORE THAN YOU!” Hulk shouted. 

“YES! That’s the spirit!” Thor cried, and rejoiced at a worthy opponent. 

“Mind if I join in?” asked Captain Marvel, who arrived blasting a hole in the Leviathan’s side. 

“The more the merrier!” Thor responded. In his eyes, this was the best day ever. 

\-----------------

On the ground, things were less frantic but no less dangerous. Captain America threw a shield at a group of Chitauri, disabling two and disrupting two others. Black Widow ended one of the still-active aliens with her pistol, and Loki slit the last one’s throat from under the cover of an illusion. 

“Alright, we’re getting nowhere. Someone needs to get to the tower.” The Captain ordered, in the lull in action. 

“I’m a little busy, Cap.” Ironheart replied through the radio. 

“Same here.” Captain Marvel said. “The big guys are also busy smashing aliens. There’s a lot of Leviathans out here and they’re really the only ones who can bring them down easily.”

Loki and Black Widow looked to one another. She was the first to speak. “Captain, do you think you can handle things here alone?” She asked. 

Captain America eyed the two of them. “If you think you can make it up there, I should be fine for a while, if some of the air support gives me backup.” 

“We can do that.” Ironheart replied. 

“Right then. Miss Widow, please take my hand. I’ll get us aboard one of the chariots.” 

She complied, and he closed his eyes and summoned his magic. He could sense the chariots as they flew through the air-- he selected one that was flying towards them and channeled a powerful burst of magic to teleport the both of them to its back. By the time he opened his eyes, the Widow had killed two of the Chitauri aboard and was piloting the ship by manhandling the pilot.

“Impressive.” He said. 

“I can’t let you do all the work. Make this this invisible so we can sneak up on whoever’s at the tower.” she ordered. 

“I can do that.” Loki replied, and let his magic cover the ship so it appeared to be nothing but thin air. 

Black Widow let herself off by the portal generator, and Loki jumped to the deck, where what appeared to be a fairly normal man wearing a suit stood, unfazed by the destruction of the city around him. More importantly, he held in his hands a scepter that radiated power.

“So… you would be our Chitauri infiltrator then?” Loki asked, casually walking into the room.

“Infiltrator, strategist, leader… I play many roles.” The presumed Chitauri responded. For some reason, he had a defined german accent. “You can call me Kleiser.” 

“Well, Kleiser, I’m afraid to say your forces don’t seem to be having the easiest time of it. Perhaps it’s time to raise the white flag?” Loki mused, coming to a stop in front of the smiling man. 

“I’m afraid that von’t be happening. After all, I have an army at my disposal. I’m sure you’ll tire out eventually.” Kleiser oozed smugness as he replied. 

He found himself with a knife in his neck, from behind. Loki’s illusion disappeared as his invisibility spell failed, and he allowed the Chitauri to fall face-first into the floor, knife still in his throat. He grabbed the scepter and cast it aside. He could deal with that later. 

“Well, I suppose that army won’t have a leader now.”

“Au contraire, Mr. Odinson.” 

Kleiser stood, completely unbothered by the knife still lodged in his throat, which he removed and tossed aside. The wound closed before Loki’s eyes. 

“I von’t be that easy to get rid of.” 

With that, he shifted, turning into a full-sized Chitauri, though without the typical electronic additions. He grabbed Loki’s arm with one giant hand and flung him against the wall. Loki stood, shakily, and was unable to do anything before the massive Chitauri’s fist slammed into him.

Or rather, the immaterial form of another illusion, as Loki threw another knife into Kleiser’s leg. Kleiser seemed unbothered, but was surprised when green magic ran through the knife and stuck his leg to the floor, and continued to flow into the rest of his body, causing it to stiffen up. 

“I can do far more than just stab you, Chitauri.” Loki stated as he continued his binding spell. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t quite quick enough to move out of the way as Kleiser’s arm stretched and slammed into his chest, breaking his concentration and the spell with it. Kleiser ripped out the knife and threw it away. 

“You’re nothing but a pest, Asgardian. I’ll take pleasure in squishing you.” 

Loki cast his eyes about for anything that could help him win this. Direct confrontation wasn’t his forte, but perhaps… yes, that could work. 

“I think you’ll find I’m rather hard to squish, Chitauri. And I have more tricks up my sleeve than you know.” 

With one hand, he cast a spell with what seemed to be no visible effect. With the other, he summoned a number of images of himself, and joined them in circling the Chitauri. A dance of blows began, the Chitauri swinging wildly with rapidly shifting limbs, never actually taking serious damage but taking stab after stab from Loki’s knives. And it seemed he could never actually hit Loki-- every time he thought he had the Asgardian, it was another image, which laughed and disappeared. 

After a minute of this, he was growing rather frustrated, and caused his arms to grow into massive hands that swung through all of Loki’s remaining images. They all vanished, but when he shifted his hands back to a somewhat normal size he had them wrapped around the real Loki’s neck. 

“You die today, Asgardian. And this planet vith you.” 

Loki couldn’t say much. Instead, his eyes focused on something behind Kleiser. And he smiled. 

Kleiser turned to see what it was and came face to fist with the Hulk. 

Loki gasped for breath as Kleiser was splattered against the wall, Hulk glaring at what remained of the Chitauri. 

“Thank you for that. Much appreciated.” Loki panted.

“Hulk follow green shiny arrows here. That you?” Hulk growled. 

“Yes. Sorry to disturb you, but I did need some assistance.” Loki was catching his breath, and stood upright. 

“Hulk like green.” Hulk replied.

“Yyyou thhink I’m dooone?” 

The two turned their attention to the slowly reforming Kleiser. Only his head and shoulders were visible in the mess he had become, but he was slowly growing back. 

“Iii aaam too stroong to be defeeateed by such fooolish--” 

He was cut off as the Hulk slammed a fist into the mess, grabbed his head, and smashed it against the ground several times until he was reduced to nothing but a pile of unidentifiable goo again. This time, he did not reform. 

Black Widow called to the pair from above. “Loki! We need the scepter, it can breach the barrier on the portal generator!” 

Loki nodded, and seized the item within a telekinetic spell, lifting it to the Widow. “I’ll be up there in a moment!” He watched as she took the artifact out of sight, and turned to Hulk. “Thank you again for your aid. You can go back to smashing now.” 

Hulk grinned and leapt off into the distance, smashing into a Chariot on the way. Loki moved his attention to what remained of Kleiser, and gave a sardonic smile. “Well, let’s see if the binding spell works this time.” 

\-----------------

“Alright, portal should be closing.” Black Widow was audibly relieved, even through the comlink in Ironheart’s armor. 

“Hear that? Looks like we’re pretty much in the clear!” She exclaimed. She could see the portal shrinking in the sky, though she didn’t stop blasting Chitauri.

“Excellent. Now all that’s left is to mop up the stragglers.” Anthony replied, conjuring a hammer and swatting a Chariot out of the sky. “Good thing too. My reserves were running low.” 

Another voice came through the comlink, this one an unfamiliar male. “Fuck! We have another problem!” 

Ironheart stopped what she was doing to glance in the direction of Stark Tower. “What’s wrong boss?” 

“Fury just contacted me, we’ve got a nuke incoming. Apparently his bosses launched it. Big enough payload to wipe out Midtown and irradiate half the state.” 

“Goddamn it. Send me the coordinates, maybe I can do something--” Ironheart shot into the sky frantically responding to the call. 

Anthony followed her as the male voice responded. “Detonation in three minutes and counting down. I’ve uploaded the coordinates but I’m not sure what you can do--” 

Ironheart took off after the bomb, Anthony lagging behind her, unable to keep up. “What does this bomb do? What is it made of?” 

“I don’t have the time--” Ironheart snapped, but was interrupted by the male voice. 

“You don’t, but I do. It’s a bomb powered by Nuclear Fission. You know what that is?” 

“It’s not my field, but I’m familiar.” Anthony replied. “What is the payload made from?” 

“Uranium and Plutonium are the big problems.” The voice answered. 

“Understood. I think I can stop this, but I’ll need some time, and some power.” 

“I don’t think we have either to spare. It’s now or never.” Ironheart cut in.

“Well, time no. But power, yes.” Anthony replied. He opened a new communication spell. “Uncle, I need you to boost me. As much as you can. This city depends on it.” 

Thor landed on a nearby rooftop. “Right then! Brace yourself, nephew!” He spun his hammer above his head, and storm clouds gathered. Then the lightning struck. It was fairly easy to channel it into the high-flying metal object that was Anthony. 

Anthony continued to relay orders, even as he was being charged by the lightning. “Ironheart, I need you to slow it down as much as possible and bring it to me. When I tell you, release the missile and I will handle things from there.” he shouted, obviously in pain. 

“You sure about this?” Ironheart asked.

“Positive!” Anthony shot back. 

It was an agonizing 20 seconds later when Ironheart arrived with the missile. She had put the breaks on, but it was still moving at an incredible speed when Anthony cried “NOW!” and she let go. 

The Missile was immediately surrounded by a red and gold globe of energy that arrested its movement. Thor continued to channel lightning into his nephew, but at this point Anthony’s armor was glowing brighter than the lightning itself.

“What are you doing?” Ironheart shouted, unable to look at the eye-bleedingly bright display. 

“Transmutation!” was Anthony’s one-word reply. 

“Nephew! I know you cannot handle much more!” Thor cried. 

“I need as much power as you can give! Unless you want this city to explode! Almost--” His speech cut off with a choked cry of pain. 

“Nephew!” Thor shouted.

“Don’t you stop!” Anthony cried, as the glow intensified. 

It seemed as if a new sun dawned over New York for one painful moment, then the light winked out. A missile, transformed into a solid missile-shaped hunk of lead, fell to earth where it crushed a newstand. Anthony was caught by his uncle. 

All was still in the city for a single moment. The Chitauri had ceased activity when the portal closed entirely, jerking to a stop as their connection to the hivemind was severed.

Thor set Anthony on the ground, where he lied unmoving for a moment. Then Ironheart landed beside the pair and he started awake. 

“Alright, I think that’s about it. You okay, big guy?” she asked. 

“I’m… well, I’m not okay, but I will be. Eventually.” he replied. He tried to stand, then thought better of it and dismissed his armor back into his belt.

“Neat trick.” Ironheart commented.

“Thor, you’ll have to carry me.” Anthony said. 

Thor smiled and picked his nephew up princess-style. “Anything for the hero of the day. Do you have a place where we can recuperate? I wish to spend time with the warriors I have fought alongside today!” 

A voice interjected over the speakers in Ironheart’s armor. “Actually, if I could be so bold as to offer my tower? It’s the big one, has the A on it, can’t miss it.” 

Ironheart chuckled. “I’ll lead the way. Might as well introduce you guys to Mr. Stark.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we have the abridged events of Thor and The Avengers. That was pretty quick. So yes, Riri Williams and Carol Danvers are now Avengers, in the absence of Tony Stark. I'm really not 100% sure why Carol is back early from space, but we'll just say that there were ripple effects with Asgard not getting into a somewhat long war with the Frost Giants. Riri, on the other hand, is there because I think she's awesome, and Earth needs an ironclad hero.


	4. On Endings and Long-Awaited Meetings

The heroes of our story regrouped at Stark Tower, on the top floor. Loki and Black Widow were there before anyone else. Loki was putting some more wards on a jar of gray goo he was holding, while Black Widow was helping herself to some of the alcohol. Captain Marvel arrived soon after and went to join Black Widow, as did Hawkeye when he arrived via the elevator with Captain America, who took the opportunity to take a breather. (Remarkably, the building was mostly undamaged, and since it had its own power source it was also still operational. Already relief crews were using it as a base of operations). Ironheart, Thor, and Anthony were the next to arrive, Anthony still without his armor, and was soon being fussed over by a worried Loki. Ironheart removed her armor herself, and revealed herself to be a young woman with dark skin and black hair. The Hulk arrived rather loudly and decided to take a nap, transforming back into Bruce Banner, who was happy to have all of this over with. 

The last person to arrive was one the Asgardians had yet to meet. The elevator door opened to reveal a tall, pale-skinned, black-haired man in a tanktop and jeans, wearing leather gloves.

“Sorry I didn’t dress up to meet you, but I was busy working in the workshop when this whole mess started and I didn’t have time to change.” His voice was the one from the comlink. “Nice to meet you all. I’m Tony Stark, and technically I’m one of the Specialists assigned to the Avengers Initiative.

“Hey boss.” Ironheart waved to Tony from where she was seated on a large, expensive couch.

“How are you, Riri? I don’t want to lose one of my top engineers to something as minor as an alien invasion.” Tony quipped. 

“I think I’ll have to take the rest of the week off, but I can be back in on Monday.” Riri replied. 

“That should be good. Also, you’re getting a raise. No, two raises.” Tony turned his attention to the others. “Do any of you want one? Because, you know, saviors of the city and all. Trust me, I pay better than SHIELD.” 

Captain Marvel looked to him. “You gonna charge me for this booze?” He asked. 

“Wasn’t planning on it.” Tony replied. 

“Then we’re even.” 

“Alright, now that everything settled down, I gotta ask-- what the fuck is up with you three?” Riri asked, pointing at the three Asgardians, who had settled down on a nearby couch.

“We are Asgardians!” Thor shouted.

“What my brother means to say, is that we are from another Realm. Once, we visited this world, but we stopped doing so over 1,000 years ago. As mentioned, I am Loki, and this is my brother Thor, and my son Anthony.” 

“Wait, like the Thor and Loki? Gods of Thunder and Mischief?” Bruce asked. 

“Gods?” Thor questioned.

“I may have spread some tall tales amongst the Midgardians before we last left.” Loki admitted. 

“But I’ve never heard of an Anthony in the stories. I know Loki had a bunch of kids, but--” Bruce continued. 

“I haven’t, actually. The tales got twisted after the telling. I only have one son, and he came into my life far after we left Midgard to its own devices.” 

“Plus, I’m adopted.” Anthony explained. “Apparently, I’m actually human. Some fairy creature stole me from my parents, but these two” he indicated Thor and Loki “came across it and rescued me. When they took me back to Asgard, Loki adopted me under Odin’s orders. Not that I’m complaining.” 

The scene went quiet at that. The first to speak was Captain America. “So… do you know who your parents are, then?” 

“No. But Loki raised me, and I consider him my father. I don’t really see the need to chase down my biological parents. Plus, the fairy probably left a changeling in my place, so they most likely never even knew something was off, and I don’t know how we’d even find them.” 

There was another moment of quiet after that declaration. Loki looked to the side awkwardly. Thor took notice. “Loki, is there something you’d like to share?” 

“I… may have an idea of where to get started.” Loki admitted. 

“Wait, seriously. You guys have been here for like, an hour, two tops. How did you already find something?” Hawkeye asked. 

Loki sighed, and made a decision. “Well, my first clue was that our host is a changeling.” 

The heroes’ stares were divided between Anthony, Loki, and Tony. Tony was only shocked for a moment before he chuckled, however. “Well, I guess that would explain the iron allergy.”

Anthony gaped. “Anthony is the name my parents gave me-- Odin said so.” 

“Tony is short for Anthony. I mean, obviously, but I guess maybe not if your culture doesn’t do that?” Tony returned. 

“We do not.” Loki replied. 

“Well. This just got way more awkward. Maybe we should break out the top shelf stuff.” Hawkeye advised, getting up from his seat. Black Widow glared at him and he sat back down. 

“Well, I ordered a fuckton of food from a Shawarma place down the street. They don’t normally deliver, but they apparently are willing to do so for stupid amounts of money. I guess we can trade stories over a meal?” 

Anthony met his eyes. “I would like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the finale. For reference, "Tony Stark" here looks like Arno Stark from the comics (non-comics fans, just know that Tony has a secret brother, and it's really confusing). I don't plan on ever writing more of this, or even really returning to the MCU (assuming Avengers: Endgame doesn't drive me to write out of spite). I hope you enjoyed my short dive into writing for the MCU, though. See you when I get off my butt and finally start posting the MHA fic I've been writing for the last year.


End file.
